Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-23

tana., He was dressed warmly, and was what is
ical knowledge, as well skill In surgery; was
full OF resources, and, told the boys more than
once, man in per1louS position VIII think OF
ways and means for preserving his life that no one
else will. But, on the other hand, he was last seen
he had not been heard from. Having missed those
ranches, his only chance was TO strike the Yel-
lowstone, seventy miles or more farther on And
no one believed he or his horse could have lived
to do 1t. The cowboys were fully convinced that
his horse had fallen into some snow-filled
coulie, from which it was impossible TO extr1cate
him, and that West had probably worked in the
STOW TO get him out until he had got wet and
chilled and afterward wandered of on foot to per-
ISL In a few hours. j must confess that this
theory struck me with terrible significance; for
horses into a snow-filed coue, almost in sight of
the N-bar ranch, and had to work all day to get
him out.
though we hoped to find West or some trace of
him, were mOrtally afraid that we would We
In = couIie: and We might md West himself hall
buried In the snow, and half eaten by the
hungry coyotes! Horace BrOdhurst volunteered to
accompany Russell, and had not Harry Andrews
been too sick TO leave camp he would have gone
also.
due east and looked along the way. But pShawl
In such country as that man lost might die and
lie unbound for six months,-Or, at least, until the
next roundup. When we reached the ranch that
night we were met at the door by Mr.. Peacock,
the foreman We hardly had the courage to put
the question we had ridden 50 far to ask.
Have you heard anything about WeSt?"
ayes He's been found, >" said Mr.. Peacock
ayes. He's frost-bitten, but all right. He was
taken to town on the 9th"
THANK heaven for that"
Vests experience was terrible one, and also a
wonderful case OF Sel-DreServatiOn. 1t shows what
a man with a cool head and plenty OF grit can go
through and live. When he left us he wore two
understands, heavy blanket shirt, soldiers
blouse and oyercOat, two pairs OF drawers, pair
overals. on his feet he wore three pairs OF socks,
a pair OF low shoes, with canvas leggins, and
he started with his feet tied up in burlaps. His
head and hands were also well protected. He car
ried 3S-oaliberrevOver, but, by great oversight,
only six matches. When he left Harry'S camp,
instead OF going due east toward the LU-bar
ranch, he swung around and went southwest, clear
around the head OF the Little Dry, and finally
struck the Porcupine, south OF our camp; The
first night out he made fire with sage brush,
and kept 1t going all night. Th e. second night 1
ne also had re but II TOOK r ms t 1aSs m aVa
he had no food but on the fourth he
shot sagecOck with his revolver, and ate IL raw.
Through hard work and lack of food his pony
presently gave out, and necessitated long and ire
quent stops for rest. Vests feet threatened to
freeze and he cut OFF the skirts OF his overcoat to
wrap them with, in place OF the gunny Sacking
that had been worn TO rags. Being afraid TO go TO
sse at OF he d he While H resting his horse
Oh the 9TH day he began to despair OF Succor,
although he still tOiled southwark through the
lived. ON the envelopes which contained my let
tiers, . bakers dozen in number, he kept diary OF
his wsnderingS which could tell his story when
the COW boys would ind his body on the spring
roundup.
on the afternoon Of the sixth day he found
trail and followed il until nearly night, when he
came TO Cree's sheep ranch and found the solitary
ranchman at home The warm-hearted frontiers
man gave the starving wanderers, man and horse,
sucn a welcome they stood in need OF. West
solemn, declares that in twenty-fOur hours he
ate whole sheep. During the first night he got
up Iour times to eat. Alter two or three days OF
TO go on, and in course Of time reached Fort
keOgh.
Without the loss of single day Col. Gibson
started three teams and an escort up to US, and,
notwithstanding his terrible experience, West had
the grit to accompany them as guide. His arrival
among us once more was like the dead coming
to life again. The train reached our camp on the
18TH and on the 18th pulled out for Miles City,
n 70 Ihe Wagon oW Sand a the nor Nv
ranch the trail was in a terrible condition; but
Ed. Hastings was traln-maSter, the other drivers
knew their business well, and 1t was beautiful to
see the way those wagons were got along. When
ever i bank was too steep, or wagon stuck in the
mud-it was soft weather just then-the teams
were doubled up, the distressed vehicle "snaked'
out, and on We ratified again.
Whenever our own tired team got stuck there
was always pair OF led mules handy to hitch on
and pull everything behind them AS train
master, Hastings was perfect jewel skill1ul
pushing, careful, patient, and very oblging.
We dreaded being caught by a blizzard on the
way in; but although it turned cold again, and
tried hard to Storm my lucky star shOne on US all
the way, and we went In Just sail1n'," as the
boys said. We pulled in TO Miles City the 10th
OF December, and then the way it did snow and
turned cold was a caution! Two days later the
ferrybOats on the Yellowstone had TO stop running
on account OF the floating ice.
Thus ended the last buffalo hunt OF buffalo we
killed and captured twenty-five head, to show for
which we had twenty -four skins, one head and
eight fresh skeletons OF big bulls. We also had
eight bleached skeletons and nfty-one skulls. or
the other mammals that came in our way we had
fine nr and and ho W hnln
collection, contained In twenty-eight big boxes,
reached the Smithsonian In the nneSt condition
possible. IL was nOlOnger ago than yesterday that
We finished the mounting OF our biggest bull buf-
falo, and about three month hence we viii have
ready for inspection group Of six buffalo OF
all ages, sizes and sexes, from calf three months
Old to colossal old bull nearly six feet high,
whose enormous proportions astOnish the natives,
and surprise even the oldest buffalo hunters.
Already Professor Baird has shared the spoil with
the great scientific museums OF Philadelphia, New
York, Milwaukee, Salem, and the University Of
Kansas. and how many more will be similarly
favored cannot say.
AllS well that ends well AdtOS.